Kahmar hired to start Sullivan wrestling team

Kahmar, who was officially hired as SUNY Sullivan's wrestling coach on Tuesday, gets to start the program from the ground up.

Sullivan, a junior college, will field its first wrestling team in the 2013-14 season. That gives Kahmar, who coached four state finalists in his two seasons (2008-09) at Port Jervis High, less than two months to recruit top local talent to the Loch Sheldrake school.

"This is something Section 9 has been needing for 30 something years since OCCC dropped its program," Kahmar said, referring SUNY Orange. "There was some buzz about it last winter. Word was out. It was in the back of kids' minds."

Kahmar, 35, said Sullivan athletic director Chris DePew told him "10-15 kids" are interested in attending the school to wrestle. He will hit the phones with hopes of filling out a lineup.

"I'll be making calls to Section 9 coaches, hoping to pull in some kids," Kahmar said. "The goal is to find great kids in our backyard and give them a quality opportunity to come out and compete at the college level."

Kahmar will remain as an assistant principal at Port Jervis and make the 30-minute commute to Sullivan. The coaching job is a part-time position. Kahmar said he hopes to bring on assistant coaches in the future.

Sullivan also announced the revival of its women's volleyball program and named former player Corinne McGuire as its coach this fall.

sinterdonato@th-record.com

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